Attending the innocent
by White Stone
Summary: Ben and Locke babysit Aaron while Claire helps clean house. What will the two men do? Will they go crazy? Diapers? Crying? What is burping? Does Locke know how to nurse a baby? Will Ben over advise Locke to frustration? Set before “The shape of things to


**Attending the innocent **

A one shot by **Whitestone **

**Rated:** K, nothing bad. Just two inexperienced men taking care of a baby.

**Summary:** Ben and Locke babysit Aaron while Claire helps clean house. What will the two men do? Will they go crazy? Diapers? Crying? What is burping? Does Locke know how to nurse a baby? Will Ben over advise Locke to frustration? Set before "The shape of things to come."

* * *

It was a quite peaceful day, but Ben knew better. Have you ever heard the saying "the calm before the storm?" Well, if you haven't it means: everything seeming pretty as pie and then landing straight down like an airplane landing in a pile of monkey crap.

He wasn't worried however, he had a plan. He was confident that this plan would play out and he would gain an advantage.

After folding his laundry and napping in his room, Ben heard a knock at the door.

He got up and headed to the door. He had actually slept in his trousers, button up collared shirt, and his black shoes. A soldier must be prepared for battle. And his heart jumped at times when he caught a sound in his ears.

It was Claire. Her perfectly blond hair seemed damp. She jumped at the sight of the forty-two year old man.

"Oh, Hi Claire. Can I help you?" He tried to be kind but he knew by the way she looked at him she did not exactly like him.

Ben didn't care though.

"I was looking for John-" She stopped in her track of speech and looked in the door.

"So, this used to be your house?" She asked suddenly interested in Ben's previous life before the airplane came spiraling down on the magical island.

Ben frowned recalling: his leadership being questioned, stress, his daughter's hate, his pleas to Jack to please listen, and his many beatings.

"Yes, this is where I and my daughter lived." He said slowly hardly daring to look in her eyes.

In fact her eyes were looking at him, trying to decide what to make of him.

They were blue like his but shaped totally different and a deeper blue hue.

Ben asked: "Where's your baby?"

She shifted and said: Sleeping.

She suddenly feeling uncomfortable drifted off and mumbled to Linus that she needed to find Locke.

Ben didn't mind her behavior. He noticed people feared what they didn't understand.

Ben looked at the grass and remembered the days Matthew used to mow it. Now, it seemed almost wild. He looked over to Claire's house where clothes hung on the lines. Nothing was the same. Ben knew.

It was all different. Sort of like an empty space inside you that stabs ever so swiftly. Book clubs, star gazing, lectures, barbeques, those things were all gone, and Ben wondered (oddly enough) if those things had ever happened.

John came running up.

"Ben? What are you looking at?"

He wore a blue t-shirt that made his eyes stand out and his bald head shined in the sun.

"My life." Ben said under his breath.

"What?" John asked.

"Never mind, why are you here John?" He asked with darkness to his voice tone.

"Claire needs us to babysit." He let out suddenly.

Ben smiled.

"Okay, John. Are you ready to take a dad's role?"

"I don't know much about kids but it will only be for a couple of hours."

"I'll be right back at your house with Aaron, okay?"

Ben shook his head in disbelief. What would happen to Ben next? Giant monkey's taking over the island?

Ben went inside and cleaned the house up. He tenderly looked at Alex's pictures and touched one leaving a print.

John opened the door holding the blessed child.

"So, what is Claire doing?" Ben asked John sitting down on the couch to relax.

"Cleaning the house I guess." He held the baby nervously on his lap.

The baby gave a sleepy squeal.

Ben looked at the baby longingly, it had been sixteen years since Alex was a baby but he remembered well and his love for her was reconfirmed as he looked at the child and thought of his own baby.

"Okay, you go fix the bottle and I'll rattle this toy for him."

"Where did you get that rattle?" Ben asked defensively.

"Well, I didn't think Alex needed it anymore, so yes, I took it from her baby box." John Locke rolled his eyes.

Ben gave the "whatever" look and headed to the kitchen.

He was a little bit worried about fixing a bottle and he read the back of the formula for instructions.

"John?" Ben called out.

"Why doesn't the Mom nurse him?" He asked.

"Because Ben, she is busy."

"Well, I am sure you could manage to feed him." Ben smiled evilly.

"Are you saying I have boobs?"

Ben just laughed and went back to the kitchen. The kitchen counters seemed a little dust and the time on the stove read 4:30. The stove was old and creaked whenever opened.

Ben warmed the water and filled the bottle and measured out the formula.

He hoped he wasn't messing anything up.

He gave the bottle to John.

"Too hot Ben."

"How do you know did you taste it?" Ben threw back in pure pursuit of being annoying.

"Ben test it on your skin."

Ben did and Ben said: "You're right it is too hot."

The baby howled.

"John, I think the baby needs to be changed." Ben advised while putting the bottle to the side to cool.

John looked horrified.

Ben handed him a diaper from the bag that Claire gave John.

John held up his legs as Ben wiped him (which was very surprising to see Ben do).

When the new diaper was on Ben ran like an emergency had happened in the kitchen; John holding the baby's head to his chest poked his head in.

Ben was washing his hands vigorously.

He glared at John when he saw he was watching him.

"Does Claire know I am here?" He asked John with soapy hands.

"No, of course not. I did not want her to know you were helping me take care of the innocent." John looked to see Ben's reaction.

His lips were pursed and he let out the words: "Okay."

"Just tell me one thing John what have I done in your eyes that is worthy of taking care of the innocent?"

"I needed your help that's all." John lied.

Because John had actually grown to trust him. He didn't even know why. It was like a slow development.

"Thanks for helping me change the diaper." John finally said.

Ben smiled through a hurt look.

"I do this all the time." He played.

Ben picked up the bottle and handed it to John.

Aaron looked around and then to the nipple and started to suck.

The child hiccuped and Ben brought his hand to his forehead in a smack.

"I forgot to get the air out."

"Air?" John repeated like Ben had just told him about a race of aliens.

But Ben was already on top of things and was pushing the air out.

"How did you know?" John asked.

"A good guess." Ben allowed.

Aaron sucked and sucked.

Ben read his book and looked out the window. John bounced around with Aaron on his waist and Aaron made coos every now and then.

Someone rang the door bell. John handed the baby to Ben. Ben was afraid but took him. He held him on his lap like a doll.

"Hey jungle man, could I borrow some sugar?" Sawyer asked.

"Sure James come in."

"What? Yoda is babysitting?" Sawyer said in fright.

"It's okay James. He is just helping me."

Ben gave James a look that said: "Please leave me alone."

Sawyer went in the kitchen and said: "How did you manage to make a bottle John?"

"It wasn't too hard." John lied again.

Ben held onto the child softly and touched his head. It was soft.

The baby started to cry.

John said: "Bounce him."

So, Ben willing to embarrass himself stood up and bounced with Sawyer poking his head out of the kitchen watching in amazement.

"He stopped." Ben announced with a relieved sigh.

He handed the baby to John and headed down the hallway.

"Man, I thought I was good with kids." Sawyer let out jokingly to John.

John said goodbye to Sawyer and when he and Aaron were alone he kissed his head and started talking to the baby.

He talked about the weather, his birth, and that they might have a barbecue the following day.

Ben overheard from his room. He just sat there in his room with weird feelings buzzing around in him. First, he felt like he accomplished a small feat at least. He had gained trust.

Second, he felt like he was twenty six years old all over again. That was when he had Alex as an infant. It made his mind travel back in time. It made him sad because everything was so different. Nothing was the same or ever would be.

At 5:00 Ben came out and opened the door to Claire.

"Hi Ben." She greeted leerily.

Aaron knew his Mom's voice and lit up.

"Hey you." She said smiling really big and taking him into her arms.

"He was good Claire." John told him.

Ben didn't say a word.

But he wanted to.

"Thank you John and I am sure Ben helped too."

"Just here and there." Ben lied.

John smiled.


End file.
